The Tampa Bay Rays moved closer to a new home after the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners approved a stadium at Hillsborough College’s Dale Mabry campus in a 5-2 vote on Friday. The decision followed Tampa’s city council approval one day earlier by a 4-3 vote. The county-owned ballpark is projected to cost approximately $2.36 billion, funded by $80 million from the city, $796 million from the county and approximately $1.37 billion from the Rays, which will also cover cost overruns. The Rays will pay $4 million in annual rent. Construction must begin this fall for the stadium to open before the 2029 season, when the team’s use agreement for Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg expires. The planned venue will have at least 28,000 seats and a fixed roof, with the Rays receiving an initial 35-year term and a non-relocation agreement. The NFL’s Buccaneers, whose Raymond James Stadium is across Dale Mabry Highway, welcomed the approval. Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said the plan supports a state-of-the-art ballpark and the Rays’ long-term future in Tampa Bay.